Inferior Imitator

ep·i·gone n. A second-rate imitator or follower, especially of an artist or a philosopher.

Monday, August 30, 2004

In Which I Discuss Sparring


Tonight was my first night sparring since the spring, and I was very excited. I spent a good deal of the weekend watching Olympic coverage of Tae Kwon Do, and I was enraptured. I have the desire to be good at sparring, but I'm not sure I ever will be. I am much better at forms: there is a set pattern, and I can work on them over and over until my muscles know the moves. With sparring, it's very much an act/react situation. It takes split-second thinking, and I have not developed that capability. Maybe because I don't practice sparring enough, maybe because it's not one of my strengths.

At any rate, I was inspired. I got some ideas and some guidance, of which is sorely lacking in our club in sparring. Being all ready to spar, I of course had to wait until like five matches in. Then I was paired up with an orange belt, so I had to go easy on him, and then got paired up with a black belt, so I got all intimidated. Then I was paired up with Tacia, and I feel like I just went to town on her. She says I didn’t hurt her, and she did score a few points on me, so I’ll just take her word and not feel too bad. But now my knee hurts, and Ms. Spinner taught the non-sparrers, so I’m not sure I got the best end of the deal. At least it wasn’t Chelsea for once.

5 Antiphon:

7:44 AM, September 01, 2004, Blogger Chelsea

I am not any good at sparring either. I have never had any one realy teach me how to spar. I guess they assume I know since I am a black belt, but where I came from, we didn't spar much and it was all no contact. I am not a huge fan of sparring, but I feel like I need to learn how.

 
1:37 PM, September 01, 2004, Blogger Technomage

At the risk of Flames... Try Asking Mr. Burns. He seems interested in teaching sparring Tactics. He's fast too.

 
1:37 PM, September 01, 2004, Blogger Technomage

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
5:42 PM, September 01, 2004, Blogger Technomage

True...but he does a good job at sparring..... and the ladies flock to him. Go figure.

 
10:32 AM, September 02, 2004, Anonymous Anonymous

Then I was paired up with Tacia, and I feel like I just went to town on her.When I first read this I thought you'd written, "I feel like I just went down on her". Which brought up a whole different visual. I am a bad, bad person.

Like you, I do not react quickly, so sparring sounds intimidating to me too. But it sounds as though you didn't do too badly, so bravo!

~CosmicAvatar

 

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